§ Mr. PikeTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what steps he will take to ensure that an environmental statement is provided in respect of those projects listed in annex II of the European Community directive 85/337 on environmental assessment which are likely to have significant environmental effects; and what criteria will be applied in selecting projects which require such statements.
§ Mr. TrippierThe Town and Country Planning (Assessment of Environmental Effects) Regulations 1988 (S.I. No. 1199) implement the EC directive for projects in England and Wales which require planning permission. DOE circular 15/88 (Welsh Office 23/88) gives advice to local planning authorities on the implementation of the regulations, including on those circumstances in which environmental assessment under annex II may be needed. Further instruments have been made and advice issued by Ministers concerned with other projects to which the directive applies.
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Dwellings sold by Local Authorities: DOE Administrative Regions, Wales and Scotland 1983–84 to 1987–88 1983–84 1984–85 1985–86 1986–87 1 1987–88 (a) Total number of dwellings sold North 8,580 5,170 4,750 4,860 5,030 Yorkshire and Humberside 9,560 7,170 6,980 7,190 9,870 East Midlands 10,300 6,920 7,190 7,850 10,530 Eastern 15,800 14,330 12,400 13,320 15,200 Greater London 15,100 14,660 14,190 13,800 18,900 South East 18,140 15,610 12,980 14,000 15,420 South West 10,890 8,850 7,760 8,180 9,710 West Midlands 15,730 10,030 7,280 8,520 10,590 North West 17,940 8,640 8,790 8,420 9,600 Wales 7,420 5,310 4,980 5,830 5,750 Scotland2 13,010 11,670 10,450 10,950 14,010 (b) Average value of dwellings sold: £'000 North 14.2 15.1 15.6 16.4 17.2 Yorkshire and Humberside 14.1 14.7 15.5 17.0 18.0 East Midlands 14.7 15.9 16.6 18.8 20.4 Eastern 21.9 24.4 26.9 31.5 37.8 Greater London 26.5 30.1 34.7 40.8 45.5 South East 23.8 26.3 29.5 33.5 39.4 South West 19.0 20.9 22.4 25.2 28.0 West Midlands 15.7 16.1 18.4 17.7 20.0 North West 12.3 15.5 15.8 16.9 18.3 Wales .. 15.4 16.9 17.8 18.9 Scotland2 16.7 18.3 19.4 20.8 21.6
§ Mr. PikeTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will introduce measures to ensure that developments promoted under private legislation, including estuarine barrages, are subject to environmental assessment procedures; and if he will make it his policy that there be a requirement on the promoter to prepare an environmental statement.
§ Mr. TrippierIt is for Parliament to determine the procedures to be adopted for the approval of private legislation. I understand the Joint Committee on Private Bill Procedure is considering the question of environmental assessment. Where the Government themselves promote legislation to approve a project which would have required environmental assessment if the saving in article 1.5 of the EC directive did not apply, they will ensure that an environmental statement is prepared on the project.